Automatic ratchet-coupling.



M. un uLJJ uJ-lllu AUTOMATIC RATGHET GOUPLING.

APPLICATION vFILED DEO.21, 1907.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

R. H. DANZINGER.

AUTOMATIC RATGHET GOUPLING.

.APPLIOATION FILED DBG. 2l, 1907.

Patented Dec.22, 1908.

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R, H. DANZINGER.

AUTOMATIC RATGHET GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.21,1907.

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Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

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RUDOLPH HEINRICH DANZINGER, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC RATCHE T-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Application filed December 21, 1907. Serial No. 407,562.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH H. DAN- ZINGER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of Joliet, in the county of Will andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inAutomatic Ratchet-Couplings, of which the following is a completespecification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic ratchet couplingsand more particularly to a coupling by means of which the drive shaftmay be revolved in either direction either with or without driving thealined or driven shaft.

Heretofore it has not been possible with the use of a single ratchetcoupling or connection to operate the drive shaft in either directionand to permit the alined shaft to either remain idle or to be driventherewith. Furthermore in couplings of this kind the reverse movement isusually attended by more or less noise and wear due to the movement ofthe pawls into and out of engagement with the ratchet teeth.

The object of this invention is to provide an automatic ratchet couplingadapted to connect the driven shaft with the drive shaft for rotation ineither direction, or to permit it to remain idle when the drive shaft isrotated in either direction.

It is also an obj ect of the invention to provide a coupling which, whenthe drive shaft is reversed and the alined shaft is idle, is practicallynoiseless and frictionless, and which is also capable of adjustment tohold the pawls from engagement with the ratchet teeth when the driveshaft is driven forwardly, thereby permitting the alined shaft to remainidle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a coupling of cheapand simple construction adapted to be applied to drive and driven shaftsof any description and for any purpose where it is desired to rotate thedriven shaft in either direction or to permit it to remain idle whilethe drive shaft is rotated in either direction.

The invention consists of the matters hereinafter described in thespecification and more fully pointed out and defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a longitudinal section of a deviceembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line x-x of Fig. 1,with the shaft removed. Fig. 8 is a front view of the coupling. Fig. 4is an end elevation of the ratchet wheel.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the toothed or ratchet disk. Fig. 7 is alongitudinal section thereof. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of thepawls. Fig. 9

is a front elevation of the front plate of the housing. Fig. l0 is atransverse section thereof. Figs. l1 to 14 inclusive are views of thecoupling illustrating the various relative movements of the shafts whichare possible with the construction.

As shown in said drawings: A indicates the drive shaft and A the atlinedor driven shaft upon which the coupling is mounted. Rigidly engaged uponthe shaft A, flush with the end thereof, is the ratchet wheel B which isprovided on the face thereof opposite from the end of the shaft with anaxial hub or sleeve t. Adjustably engaged on said hub and partiallyrotatable with respect thereto is the toothed or ratchet disk C whichabuts at one side against the ratchet B and on the other side isprovided with a hub c. Said hub is rovided adjacent said disk withdiametricallly o posite slots c which extend circumferentiaily of thehub and into which project pins t which are rigidly engaged in the hubt. Rigidly engaged on the shaft A is a housing D which extends over saidratchet and disk and is rovided with a front plate D which is rigic ybolted thereto by means of bolts d, and is provided with an axialaperture through which the hubs project. Pivotally engaged in saidhousing are a plurality of pawls E, which as shown, are provided on oneend with trunnions c ournaled in suitable bearings in the front and rearsides of the housing and the other ends of which are adapted to beengaged by the teeth of said disk and ratchet and lock the two shaftstogether when the shaft A is rotated in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. l1. Springs c2 are rigidly engaged to the inner side ofthe housing and engage said pawls and force them. into engagement withthe teeth.

When the pins t are stationed at the ends\ of the slots c as shown inFig. 2, the front i faces of the teeth t2 and c2 of said ratchet anddisk are in alinement as shown in Fig. l, but when in engagement withthe opposite ends of said slots the teeiiiarestaggeiemgs shownin-fulland-dotted lines respectivelyinFig' f' This happens when thehubst and c aie'not locked together and the shaft A is reversed as shown inFig. 12. In this position the teeth b2 and c2, which are rounded ontheir backs, are staggered and prevent the pawls, which are curved ontheir inner sides complementally with the back of the teeth, fromfalling into the interstices between the teeth and obviates the noiseusually created upon the reversing of a ratchet. The hubs b and careprovided with semi-circular seats, indicated respectively by b3 andc3, which, when the ratchet B is in the position indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 2 with respect to the disk C, register, and by placing apin therein the shaft A may be rotated forwardly, as shown in Fig. 13,while the shaft A remains idle, since the pawls cannot fall in front ofthe teeth.

The ratchet B and the housing D are provided with apertures b4 and d,shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, and which rege ister whensaid ratchet is in the position shown in Fig. 1. If, when in suchposition a pin or key be inserted in said apertures, the shafts A and Aare locked together and will rotate together when the shaft A isreversed as shown in Fig. 14.

For the purpose of preventing the disk and its hub from spinning whenthe shaft A is reversed, a brake is provided comprising two arms orlevers F pivoted at one end on studs f in the plate D and provided withfriction bearing surfaces f adjacent the hub c which is provided with agroove c4 to receive the same. The opposite ends of said levers areslidably engaged on a rod F which is engaged in ears f 2 on said plate.Said rod is rovided on one end with a head f 3 against W ich one leverengages, and between the other lever and a nut f4 on the opposite end ofthe rod is a spring f5 which, acting oppositely on the rod and lever,holds the friction faces against said hub.

The operation is as follows: When the disk C is free to partially rotateon the hub b, and the shaft A is rotated forwardly as shown in Fig. 11,the pawls engage in the teeth b2 and c2 and drive the shaft A in thesame direction. When the shaft A is reversed as indicated by the arrowin Fig. 12, the teeth b2 and c2 alter' nate and the pawls ride over saidteeth but are prevented from falling into engagement with the same,thereby obviating the noise. If when in that position a pin or key beinserted in the registering seats Z13-c3, and the shaft A is againrotated forwardly, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 13, the shaft Aremains idle since the pawls are prevented from falling into the teeth.If it is desired to rotate both of the shafts A and A in reversedirection, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 14, a key or pin is lacedin the apertures E14-ai and said sliafts are thereby locked together.

Obviously a coupling embodying my invention will entirely obviate thenoise usually caused by the falling of the pawls into the Atate thereon,means adapted to teeth, and obviously also the coupling is adapted topermit the maximum number of relative movements possible with a ratchetcoupling. Obviously also many details of form and construction may bevaried without departing from the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described the combination with a ratchet ofa pawl pivoted adjacent thereto, and adapted to be engaged by theratchet teeth when the latter are rotated in one direction, and meansadjustably engaged on said ratchet having projections adapted toautomatically alternate with said teeth and prevent the latter fromengaging the pawl when the ratchet is reversed.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a ratchet, ofa toothed member adjacent thereto, coacting means on said ratchet andmember permitting a limited free movement of one with respect to theother, means for locking said member and ratchet together with theirteeth arranged staggering when at one limit of said movement, and a pawlpivoted adjacent said teeth.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a ratchet ofa pawl pivoted adjacent thereto and adapted to be engaged by the ratchetteeth, a toothed member adjacent said ratchet, a pin and slot connectionbetween the ratchet and member adapting said ratchet to partially rotatewith respect to said member, and means for locking said ratchet andmember together at one limit of such movement with their teethalternating.

4. In a device of the class described the combination with a ratchet ofa pawl adapted to engage the teeth thereof, a toothed disk adjacent saidratchet and means connecting said ratchet and disk adapting said ratchetto be partially rotated with respect to the disk and prevent the pawlfrom entering any of the ratchet teeth.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with a ratchethaving a hub thereon, of a toothed disk mounted on said hub and adaptedto normally, artially rolldck the disk on the hub vdth its teethalternating with the teeth of the ratchet, a housing inclosing said diskand ratchet, and a pawl pivoted therein adjacent to the ratchet.

6. In a coupling the combination with a housing of a pawl pivotedtherein, a ratchet in said housing, and a toothed disk adjacent saidratchet adapted when the ratchet is rotated in one direction to have itsteeth coincide with those of the ratchet and when the ratchet is rotatedoppositely to have its teeth staggered with the ratchet teeth andprevent the pawl from entering the same.

7. In a device of the class described the combination with a housing ofa ratchet therein, a pawl pivoted in the housing and adapted to engagethe ratchet teeth, adjustable means adjacent said ratchet adapted tohold the pawl out of engagement with the teeth, and a brake for saidmeans.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with alined shaftsof a ratchet on one of the same, a pawl carried on the other, a tootheddisk mounted on the ratchet, means normally permitting partial freerotation of the ratchet with respect to said disk, and means adapted tolock said disk to the ratchet and prevent the pawl from entering theratchet teeth.

9. rl"he combination with alined shafts of a housing on one of the same7a ratchet on the other in said housing, a pawl in the housing adapted toengage the ratchet teeth, a toothed disk adjacent said ratchet andadapted when in one position to hold the pawl out of engagement with theratchet teeth, means for locking said disk in such position and afriction brake for said disk.

l0. The combination with alined shafts of a housing on one of the same,a ratchet on the other in said housing and having a laterally directedhub, a toothed disk adjacent said ratchet and having a hub inclosing theratchet hub, a pin and slot connection between hubs, a brake for saiddisk and a pawl pivoted in the housing and adaptedv to coact with theratchet teeth.

11. The combination with alined shafts of a housing on one of the same,a ratchet on the other, a pawl in the housing adapted to engage saidratchet, a toothed disk mounted on the ratchet, there being key seats insaid disk and ratchet adapted to register when the teeth of the disk andratchet are staggered, a pin and slot connection between said disk andratchet and a brake for said disk.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

l RUDOLPH HEINRICH DNZINGER. Witnesses:

J oHANNEs SCHULTE, ROBT. KLoTZ.

